


A Bad *Axe* Birthday.

by bad_ash10



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Birthday Dinners, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Geminids Exchange, Gen, birthday gifts, mama may
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21792883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bad_ash10/pseuds/bad_ash10
Summary: It's Daisy's 30th birthday, and Melinda gives her an unexpected birthday gift.
Relationships: Melinda May & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Phil Coulson & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Comments: 19
Kudos: 158





	A Bad *Axe* Birthday.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [agentmmayy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentmmayy/gifts).



> This fic is for @agentmmayy for the Geminids Shower Exchange! 
> 
> The prompt was "I don't know if I want to know the answer, but what are you doing?"
> 
> Thanks for being a great mutual on tumblr @agentmmayy and writing some of my very favorite fics! I hope you enjoy this story as much as I loved writing it! Also, I'm really into puns right now, so I apologize for the title. Lol

Daisy had spent a large portion of the afternoon in the gym with May training some agents that would soon be joining the strike team, and she was looking forward to celebrating her birthday with dinner off base with May and Coulson. Daisy had just gotten dressed and flopped onto the bed after a long, hot shower, when there was a soft rap on the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened and May slipped through, holding a long, thin white box with a red ribbon tied into a simple bow.

Daisy sat up and arched her eyebrows at May. “Is that for me?”

Melinda sat on the edge of the bed and slid the box to Daisy. “I thought since we have some time before we leave for dinner, you may be looking for something to do.”

Grinning, Daisy reached for the box and carefully untied the bow. “You didn’t have to get me anything.” Upon opening the box, she gave May a puzzled look. “An axe?”

May smirked. “What kind of woman doesn’t have an axe?” she asked impishly. It had lately been a running joke among the team that May had certain similarities to Detective Rosa Diaz on the show _Brooklyn Nine-Nine,_ and upon learning this news, she had started watching it with Daisy. 

Daisy laughed both at the reference and the shock of receiving an axe. “I’ve gotta say, this is the most interesting birthday gift I’ve ever gotten.”

“Do you want to learn how to use it? It’s a throwing ax,” Melinda added, a sparkle in her eye.

This was probably the most excited that Daisy had ever seen May, so she readily agreed. “Of course! But I didn’t know you knew how to throw axes…”

Melinda was genuinely smiling now. “Surprise,” she sing-songed.

“I’m not sure what’s gotten into you, but I’m enjoying this.” Daisy said incredulously.

\-----------

Twenty minutes later, they were outside and had some targets marked on a few pine trees.

“Ok, I’ll show you once and then we can work on grips and throwing techniques.” May positioned Daisy a safe distance away before throwing the axe, landing it dead center of the target on one of the trees.

Daisy shook her head in disbelief. “I should’ve known you’d be amazing at this, too.”

Melinda walked over and yanked the axe out of the bark. “It’s not much different than throwing a knife,” she called over her shoulder. “Same principal, just make an adjustment for weight and size.”

Walking back, she showed Daisy proper grips on the handle, starting with two hands. Once Daisy had a solid grasp on the handle, May instructed her on throwing the axe. With her first try, Daisy hit the tree, but with the handle of the axe instead of the blade.

“Damn.”

“I didn’t expect you to nail it on the first try.” Melinda called as Daisy jogged over to retrieve the axe from the ground.

Daisy returned and threw the axe again, this time sticking it into the tree, albeit several inches below the target. With Melinda’s encouragement, she tried again and again, until at last she managed to get the axe into the targets several times in a row and at a range of distances.

After her tenth time in a row to hit a bullseye, Daisy smiled happily at May, proud of her accomplishment.

May beamed at her. “I’m impressed, kid. Next time I can show you one handed throws.”

As they walked back inside, Daisy asked, “Does it need to be sharpened or anything? How do I do that?”

“If it’s just target practice, the blunt force can usually stick it. But if you want to use it as a weapon, I would recommend keeping it sharp.” May checked her watch. “Want me to show you since we still have a little time before dinner?”

\----------

Coulson had been looking everywhere for May and Daisy since the three of them had dinner plans later that evening. He had left them earlier in the afternoon in the gym when he had gone to do some paperwork, but now the duo was nowhere to be found. He had searched most of the base and was headed for the last place he could think they may be – the armory.

He heard the s _crape, scrape, scrape_ of stone against metal before he rounded the last corner into the armory. Once he walked through the doorway, he saw them both hunched over a table, backs facing him.

Melinda handed Daisy something and he heard her say “Now you try.” The scraping started again, and he saw Melinda nod her approval.

As Phil approached their worktable, he could still barely see what they were up to. “I don’t know if I want to know the answer, but what are you doing?”

Without turning from her work, Daisy said, “May’s teaching me to sharpen my axe.”

Phil reached out for Melinda, wrapping an arm around her waist. “When did you get an axe?” he asked curiously.

Melinda turned and smirked at him. “I gave it to her for her birthday.”

He shook his head slowly. “When did you have time to buy one?”

Daisy was still sharpening her axe but stopped to hear the answer. “Yeah, where do you even buy one of these?”

May shrugged and looked at Daisy. “My mother gave it to me when I got into the academy.”

Coulson noticed the look that passed between May and Daisy and decided to give them a moment alone. “Sounds about right for Lian. Well, I’m starving. I’m going to go change and then we can head on out when you girls are ready.”

Daisy squeaked out a quick, “Yep,” and Melinda nodded her ascent.

Once Coulson was out of the room Daisy finally spoke. “Why did you give me something your mom gave you? I thought this was something you bought.”

May shrugged again. “I thought you should have something meaningful. It’s a big birthday.”

Fighting back tears, Daisy said, “That’s why you were so excited to give me my gift.”

“Guilty,” Melinda whispered.

“You’re the best,” Daisy said as she wrapped her arms around May, who, to Daisy’s surprise, immediately reciprocated her embrace. “Thank you. For such a thoughtful gift, and for teaching me a bad ass new skill today.”

\----------

Later that evening after a good meal from the steakhouse in the closest town, Coulson was going through the events of the day, when a thought struck him. “Mel?” Phil asked softly. “Are you still awake?”

“No,” her mumbled response was barely audible in their dark bedroom.

“Can I ask you something? It’s important.”

The tone of his voice had perked her up slightly. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just curious about what made you decide to give Daisy your axe for her birthday?”

Melinda rolled over to face him. “What do you think?”

Phil chuckled softly. “The short answer is because you love her. But I think there’s more to it.”

With a sigh, she said, “My mother gave it to me at an important time in my life, and I thought for Daisy’s thirtieth birthday, she should have a gift that would make her feel the same way.”

Phil pulled her close. “You know she adores you. Any gift you would’ve given her would’ve meant the world.”

May yawned widely. “This one was special. She doesn’t have anyone to hand things down to her from generation to generation.”

With a kiss on her forehead, Coulson said, “Melinda, you surprise me more every day. I love you so much.”

Melinda hummed contentedly. “Love you, too, Phil.”


End file.
